Putting wavedashing into use

[CowLatin]

I am able to wavedash consistently with Fox now. While playing, however, I really don't know how to apply it into when I'm playing. I understand that it's a more efficient way to manoeuvre, as you are able to attack while in a wavedash. But still, I need help!

 

[AirFair]

Well, wavedashing is something best used in the neutral. You are able to cancel your approaches with wd back, and it helps you precisely position yourself. Wavedashing helps you move around the stage, and keeps you able to do moves, unlike a run. As a Marth player, I would use wavedashes to bait (cactus dashes) or wd in a grab. It's a matter of position that makes it so useful.

 

[Spak]

Wavedashing is used for movement and spacing; you can WD out of the range of an attack and then punish accordingly, you can waveland on platforms to give yourself a little extra boost in horizontal movement, you can use it for mindgames and trick them into using an attack (much like DD camping), you can WD OoS to move to the side in so that you can escape pressure, broaden your options, or punish a dash attack more accordingly, you can do some character-specific stuff like Waveshining (whenever the other character is heavy enough), you can WD in place to get back to standing quickly without having to cope with the extra shine lag, you can wavesurf, and a bunch of other things.

 

[kingPiano]

Yes all of this

For me personally it's critical for:
1. staying facing a direction but being able to move either forward or backwards, it's invaluable
-i.e. WD back F smash, a common bait maneuver and WD grabs of course
2. Being able to charge a smash or any moves start lag while moving in a wave dash so the move comes out at the end of the WD
- basically being able to turn any move into a "dash" attack
3. Stopping or changing momentum from a dash quickly, mind games, dash SH WD back, etc
4. Platform Movement to set up aerials and follow up on combos (< very important)
6. WD back to fall off for edge hogging

As I mentioned with the 1st point keeping your orientation one way as you slide back the other way is very important to most characters since Back Aerials (Bairs) are usually much more powerful or useful. SO you can Bair > wave land backwards > Bair again or approach an opponent backwards instead of dashing. stopping. turning. jumping to Bair. Which all takes way too much time.

 

[AJawesome07]

I am by no means an authority on this subject, but in my humblest of opinions, wavedashing is not only a movement option, but just an option, in an abstract sense of the word. The posts above mine explain what you can do with wavedashes very well; there's really nothing for me to add there. But, it will take time for wavedashing to become naturally integrated into your play, (hell, I'm still working on that) but wavedashing has so many options connected to it, so I would recommend learning the inputs and outputs that come from wavedashing, as well as the options your character (I'm writing this on mobile, so I can't see your character info) gets from wavedashing. Just be patient, I know exactly how you feel.